This work was aimed at developing new coatings on biodegradable substrates for possible use in food packaging. In order to study barrier properties of these coatings made from fatty acid dispersions, oxygen permeability, water vapor permeability and also contact angle measurements were carried out. The coatings made from a fatty acid exhibited good barrier properties towards oxygen gas. Moreover, these coatings presented a higher contact angle value than the one obtained directly for the substrate without coating; this can be likely due to the hydrophobic nature of fatty acid and the recrystallization of fatty acid during the drying process.